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So I built this deck for my local modern tournament. It's very glass cannon-esk though. Some weeks I place top 4, other's I'm dead last. Obviously my biggest weaknesses are 'hand hate' decks and aggro decks. Luckily no one really runs aggro, but there is 1 hand hate person but he doesn't run hand hate every week. Those two deck builds aside could anyone suggest better cards, or things i could/should change. I'm getting to a point where I need a new deck (i realize this deck has a cap) my goal is to use this deck to win as much as possible to afford a new deck.

Just in case the cards i want section isn't viewable: I am trying to acquire 2x damnations (to replace the bontu's), 4x aether vials (not sure what I would replace, 3x inquisitions (to replace the duress and thoughtseize and not sure what else), 1x watery grave (replace a land), and I would like 1 more (possibly 3) creeping tar pits.

October 1, 2018
10:32 p.m.

Secondly, I'd love to help you out with this but I'm very confused at what it's doing... the deck seems a little all over the place and Mindcrank is a very confusing addition. As DragonKing90 said, Aether Vial does not have a place in this specific list. In short, what direction do you want to go with this list, aggressive or control?

October 1, 2018
10:49 p.m.

ok, so how did you link the whole deck? I know how to link a card but not a deck. Second, the aether vials are mainly just meant to free up mana to go off. Third, it's supposed to be a control deck, but duskmantle and mindcrank are the win con. Right now, I can go off on turn 5. With the vials I could potentially go off on turn 3. I've seen a few deck builds with them, but I guess if it's not worthy then I won't go for them.

October 2, 2018
10:57 a.m.

I'd cut the Aether Vials and run more copies of Thoughtseize. Thoughtseize is, in my opinion, the best "removal" spell in the game. After all, it can take out whatever you need before it has the chance to become a threat, regardless of what its card type is.

I'd probably remove some of the more situational counters--you're running a bit too many counters that only hit noncreature spells. Remand is a pretty solid spell to consider.

For linking decks:

Copy the italicized part of the URL http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/01-10-18-mindcrank/

Back to the important stuff... I agree with cdkime 100%. Definitely add in more hand hate in place of counters. I am a mage at heart, so it feels bad to say so, but the hand disruption spells are super valuable for this deck---Extremely more so than the Aether Vials.

There are 2 major reasons for this:

1) Simply put, they are easier to play with. Remove ANYTHING from an opponents hand, and see what's going on in opponents deck/current hand.
2)It's exceptionally easy to board them out. In a match that also has hand hate, take them out. Against a control deck, take a few out. Against a combo deck, they're you're best friends EVER.

Secret reason #3 is I don't like Mana Leak... but that's an opinion. If you like them keep them in, but I'd suggest you try hand hate.

I think it's worth me bringing up that I played Esper Mentor a while back for a few months. I tried a few weeks with counterspells and the deck felt super fragile and miserable.... I then tried to go more aggressive and replace the counters with a mix of Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtseize and it made a HUGE difference. The deck felt safer and more consistent since I always knew what to play around.

October 2, 2018
10:25 p.m.

Thank you! I bookmarked the help link for future formatting, I appreciate that page and you linking me so much!

As for the additions/changes. I like them a lot. I also want to make sure that I completely understand what you're saying. I build a second version of the deck with what I think you mean by your suggested changes. Either way, I will have to acquire 2 more Thoughtseize (I only own 1), 2 more Inquisition of Kozilek (I only own 1). and 1 more Creeping Tar Pit. I should have Remand and funny enough I was considering them. I steered away from them because it puts the card back in their hand. I also recently switched to a burn deck. But it's only temporary. I'm hoping that I can win a few weeklies and use the winnings to buy more cards for my millcrank.

On another note. There is a new player at my weekly that oddly enough runs a different version of my deck. He doesn't do as well as I do but there were a card or two that I was considering, that he runs. What's your opinion on Jace's Phantasm. I was flip flopping because his style is more mill so his opponent almost always has 10+ cards in their yard where as my deck is more control. That's why I haven't put them in. Anyways, thank you so much for the help. Are my changes accurate with your suggestions?

Jace's Phantasm is an eh card at best... It does its thing, but if they have 10 or more cards in yard you're probably comboing or close to it right? Even in mill, I don't think many lists want to run it since you're not trying to win of damage. Plus, Jace's Phantasm just dies to most removal and that's an issue also.

October 8, 2018
10:40 a.m.

October 9, 2018
3:05 p.m.

Squirrelbacon I was suggested, by a friend, to consider Unmoored Ego. I obviously would rather run Surgical Extraction but being the upwards of $25 I can't get them any time soon. What would you think about running 2-3 of these? I figured, Thoughtseize something, take a peak at their hand, and then Unmoored Ego something that could hurt me. I'm not a big fan of the cmc though. Wanted your opinion on it.

October 10, 2018
2:34 p.m.

So, I think that it is an OK card to run in the sideboard. It's draw back is pretty clear, in theory your opponent gets to draw cards which is almost never a good thing, however it does have a strong effect. It's actually better in your example naming something not in hand (unless it's THAT scary).

Example, playing against a storm player that tapped out for Baral, Chief of Compliance/Goblin Electromancer. You may have already taken something out of their hand, but you know one of their main win cons is going to be Grapeshot, and you know that Past in Flames is also exceptionally important to their game plan. You'd want to name one of those since other Rituals aren't going to hurt you, and that's just better than surgical, right?

It can also name lands, so get rid of the last tron piece that your opponent needs and use your Thoughtseize on their actual threat (or if they already have tron just name Karn or Ugin). You can also name Eldrazi Temple if you know they're on nonsense still.

The card is very flexible and quite strong, the issue is they MIGHT draw cards and it's a little slow... I think it's perfectly fine though. I picked up 2 for myself on release, but I have yet to play them.

October 10, 2018
3:24 p.m.

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